The Latest R.H.A. Activities
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Clearing HOW% Committee Formed.
The Clearing House (Open) Committee, instituted last year to conduct negotiations with the Council of the Road Haulage Association, concluded its labours on May 3, when it formally adopted a new constitution and endorsed an agreement in the form of a resolution by the Council of the Association, which sets up a new committee within the R.H.A. and provides for n proportional representation upon the Council.
In February last a general meeting of clearing houses appointed the new committee, when Major E. C. Thomas was elected chairman and Mr. S. Boyle vicechairman.
The duty of the new committee will be to consider applications for certificates from clearing houses which are prepared to carry out the terms and conditions agreed between clearing houses and the R.H.A. for the regulation of contracts between clearing houses and haulage contractors, to examine and make recommendations to the Council on applications from clearing houses for membership and, generally, to advise on clearing-house matters.
The committee has nominated four members—Major E. C. Thomas, Mr. S. Boyle, Mr. W. Donaldson Wright and Capt. J. W. Jones—as members of the Council representing clearing houses, and has set up sub-committees to deal with certain work.
The new terms will come into operation as from the date of the annual meeting of the Association, which is fixed for May 29.
Dinner of the Derbyshire Section.
A dinner of the Derbyshire section at the Road Haulage Association was recently held at Derby, when Mr. L. a. Rix, a director of Stevenson Transport, Ltd., presided.
The toast of "The Association" was proposed by Mr. H. R. Murray Shaw, secretary of the Derby and Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce, who said that, although the Association had not been in existence for long, its influence was astonishing, and he stressed the fact that the terms o; the Road and Rail Traffic Bill would have been much more
drastic had it not been for the valuable activities of the Association.
Mr. W. Donaldson Wright, A.Inst.T., a founder member of the Association, in replying, said he was convinced that, but for the Association, definite routes would have been laid down for goods road traffic and there would have been other restrictions. He added that amendments to the Bill would be proposed, and he believed that some of them would be accepted by the Government.
Mr. L. W. Gupwell, M.Inst.,T., a member of the Council of the Association, said that the founders advocated, three years ago, that hauliers should be licensed. The Association had been largely responsible for the framing of the present Bill, in order to prevent a measure being forced upon them which would have been unworkable.
Mr. B. Yates proposed the toast of "The Chairman," and Mr. Rix, who represents the East Midland area on the Council of the Association, in reply, said that competitors within the industry had got to sink their differences and pull together as a team if the industry were to succeed.
Coach Owners Association Abandons Haulier Membership.
Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd., has abandoned its plan, announced in last week's issue, for forming a haulage section and has conic to a working arrangement with the Road Haulage Association. Whilst the two bodies will continue as distinct organizations, officials and directors of the Y.C.O. have been given positions in the R.H.A. in the Yorkshire area. Members of the Yorkshire Association who are also hauliers have the privilege of joining the R.H.A. without paying the entrance fee of fl is.
The following officials of the Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd., have recently been appointed to corresponding positions in the West Yorkshire branch of the R.H.A.:—Chairman of the West Yorkshire Committee, Mr. A. H. Butterwick (Leeds) ; secretary, Mr. J. Keeling (Leeds) ; committee: Messrs. J. Ileap.3, R. Barr, H. Midgley (all of Leeds), R. Hanson (Huddersfield), J. Hoyle (Halifax), J. Wallis (Birstall), J. A. Oldroyd (Dewsbury) and E. B. Hutchinson. Midland Haulers and the Bill.
At a recent representative meeting of all sections of the road-transport industry, held, at Leicester, under the wo'is of the Road Haulage Association, adiscussion took place on the Road and Rail Traffic Bill. It was the unanimous view that the proposals contained in the Bill were calculated to cripple or restrict not only bona-fide road haulers, but the whole of trade and industry, and that, should the proposals be passed in their entirety, it would mean that the manufacturer and trader 'would have no choice of the way 'in which goods should be sent. On this point alone it was felt that the manufacturer and trader are on common ground with the road haulier, and should fight to defeat 'the object of the proposals.
A resolution was passed calling for the complete withdrawal of the Bill.
Yorkshire Hauliers Meet.
A mass meeting of haulage contractors in Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield and the surrounding districts, was held in Leeds on Tuesday last, when Mr. E. C. Marston, chairman of the R.H.A., was the chief speaker. Mr. E. 33. Hutchinson took the chair.
In outlining the policy of the R.H.A. towards the Road and Rail Traffic Bill, Mr. Marston said that he expected that measure to be on the Statute Book by about July. It was unanimously decided to form a West Yorkshire branch of the R.H.A.
Successful Meeting at Dumfries.
A well-attended meeting in the South Scotland area recently took place at Dumfries. Mr. J. C. Hogg, of Carlisle, the chairman of the area, presided, and was supported by all nnembtrs of the committee and Mr. C. W. Hyslop, the honorary secretary.
Mr. Harry Clark, of Derby (the divisional organizer), gave an instructive address upon the general policy of the R.H.A. and its local and national activities. He warned the meeting against accepting the opinion that the railways would not hurt their business, by stating a concrete case where a railway company had competed with haulage contractors in tendering for the removal of 8,000 tons of goods which did not touch the railway at all. The railway secured all the work.